Getting Through the Exam Time Blues

It’s that time of year again—and no, we’re not referring to winter or the holidays, but that time when everyone starts to camp out in the library, sleep deprived and totally immersed in textbooks and note-taking. But exam time doesn’t need to be the few weeks out of your year when you are exhausted, frazzled and stressed out. There are plenty of things that you can do to maximize your study time while still taking good care of yourself and de-stressing.

Devise a studying timetable and stick to it! Allocating slots of 40 minutes to each topic with 10 minute breaks has been scientifically proven to help students gather and assess information in a more efficient manner. Don’t read the information straight out a book or off of the internet, make sure you copy and rewrite it in your own words. Also, color-code and star certain aspects of your notes to bring the make sense of the information and help you to remember it in the long run. You should also try and study the most difficult areas first thing in the morning because you’re more likely to retain tedious information first thing, as opposed to doing it last thing at night when you’re tired and in a rush to get it done with.

Eat healthy. Make sure that you’re eating properly--3 meals a day with a healthy breakfast, your main meal at lunch, and a lighter meal in the evening. Some foods, such as fish, nuts and dried fruit, have also been known to help student memory. You could also try making some fruit and veggie smoothies to make sure that you get your 5 a day on the go!

Sleep. Students should ‘shut down’—that means no notes, study sessions or textbooks-- at least an hour before going to bed. You should also aim for at least 8 hours sleep per night so that you’ll wake up well rested the next morning. Try and steer clear of any sleep medication, including herbal remedies, and instead try running a warm bath before going to bed to help you relax.

Drink plenty. We are of course talking about water and other non-alcoholic fluids. Research has shown that keeping your body hydrated helps you ingest information and keep you more alert. Though your morning routine may call for that first cup of joe, try and resist - coffee makes you nervous and can actually dehydrate you! If you aren’t ready to give it up completely, at least cut back to one or two cups per day.

Be positive. Stress loves negative energy. Believe in yourself and don’t forget to treat yourself to something you enjoy, i.e. music, food, or shopping, every now and again to keep you motivated and willing to learn.

5 Tips to Prepare for Exams

One of the least favorite things about high school life is final exams. Even though exams constitute an end to classes, it can be a very stressful and difficult time in a student's life. The finals can be the difference in passing or facing a class again.

Few new students know how to study for a final because they become overwhelmed with the volume of material that has been covered. There is also a fear that retention of that material may not be good enough to warrant a passing mark.

Here are some of the best suggestions for ways to improve study habits and get higher grades on finals.

Create an Outline

A student should write down the chronological studies of the class with brief explanations of each subject covered. While doing this, it is possible to form an opinion of what parts were the hardest and in which areas the student is not well versed. This outline should give them a good idea of how much time to spend on each phase based on the amount of time available to study.

Get an Early Start

Students learn the hard way that cramming all night before a test is not conducive to great test scores. While beginning to study too early can be non-productive, a student should never wait until the day before the test. Beginning a full week before test day should provide ample time to make a positive difference. Depending on the start of study and the outline, a student should organize how much material and what material to study each day.

Ask for Help

The first thing a freshman should learn is to seek the best assistance available to them. Few people have ever done well in the higher education system without tutoring in some studies. This is not just true preceding an exam, and should be a common practice when course material doesn't make sense.

Get Plenty of Rest

High school life can be quite taxing if good habits aren't established. It is easy to get sidetracked by other students who do not have a commitment to achieving good scores. No matter what those students decide to do, if you want to do well in your studies you must understand that fun times have their time and place. Proper rest and a good night's sleep leading up to any exam makes for a considerable advantage.

Relax Before the Exam

The last part of preparation is to settle down and be comfortable. A student should plan to have most of the study finished early on the night before the test so there is no pressure to get to the end and impose on rest time.